A WALK THROUGH OCEANS MCD Page 3.
METAL OBSERVER. (GERMANY).
The Britons of UNSILENCE already have a pretty turbulent past to look at. Founded in 1993 already, the band released its first MCD "Shadows Cast In Stone" in 1994, followed by an offer of an Italian label to release a MCD, which fell through because of monetary problems of the label. So they released "An Unfinished Chapter" as second demo in 1996, in turn followed by another offer for two complete albums by yet another Italian label, which led to the band re-entering the studio in 1997. The result was "Choirs Of Memory", which was due to be out in 1998, but starting the year after the band was no step further. In 2000 this resulted in yet another MCD, their third, titled "Transfiguration". In March 2002 UNSILENCE recorded the MCD "A Walk Through Oceans", in the new Academy Studio, together with Mags, and these recordings finally, in the ninth year, led to the contract with Scottish label Golden Lake Productions, who in the end released the 4-tracker in 2002. To add insult to injury the band also was plagued by a number of line up changes in their earlier stages.
"A Walk Through Oceans" now also is the reason for this review and don't let the expression MCD and the number of songs fool you, because we get presented with more than 30 minutes of music. At the sight of the name UNSILENCE and the logo, I had expected something much harsher, especially vocally, but nope. UNSILENCE play a kind of Doom Metal, which does not necessarily define itself by extreme slowness or expressively forefront melancholy, but have an atmosphere that at times reminds me of their countrymen of SOLSTICE, which somehow sounds British to me.
Opening "Still" hardly features any doomy tempos over its entire playing time, instead it is mostly held in mid tempo, but the atmosphere, which mostly is created by the riffing, the keyboards and especially the very nice sounding voice of Andrew Hodson, almost automatically gets them classified in this category. On "The Unknown" they at least partly lower the tempo quite a bit and also speed wise approximate the atmosphere.
With "Deep Is The Stigma" they continue this tendency, another notch slower, but still really fitting with the rest of the songs, just like the closing title track "A Walk Through Oceans", which also implements some calmer passages as well as single growls and thus also differing a little from the rest, yet without sounding alienated, quite the contrary.
Even though there are only four songs on "A Walk Through Oceans", UNSILENCE still have managed to create a very cohesive epos, which bears the almost incomparable British Doom atmosphere in it and therefore should be interesting for quite a few genre fans. I like it and as the CD already had been released in 2002, I now am eagerly awaiting the full album!
Review by Alex Melzer. Website: http://www.metal-observer.com Email:mailto:alex@metal-observer.com
DOOM-METAL.COM (NETHERLANDS).
Unsilence is a band that was never in the centre of attention. They have been releasing music for several years now and have never gained any large-scale recognition in the doom scene. I'd say this is very undeserved, as they have found a good style of their own through the years.
'A Walk Through Oceans' is an MCD with four great tracks that will appeal to a wide doom audience. The five Englishmen play melodic doom/death with excellent clean vocals by singer Andrew Hodson. Only once, at the end of the last song, does the characteristic death grunt rear its head.
The songs consist mostly of interchanging melodic and heavy riffs, with the odd guitar solo thrown in. The first few spins it all doesn't sound very original, but the feeling passes as the four songs sink a bit deeper into your brain. You come to respect the brilliant parts on the album (especially the great ending of 'The Unknown') for what they are.
All in all, this is a good release from a band that deserves more attention, even if the doom/death genre is a bit saturated. Highly recommended for any doom/death fan and fans of Mourning Beloveth in particular.
Reviwe by Oskar Strik. Website: http://www.doom-metal.com Email: NOSPAMqwallath@doom-metal.com
ETERNAL FROST WEBZINE (U.S.A.).
UNSILENCE play traditional sounding doom along the lines of BLACK SABBATH, SOLITUDE AETURNUS, CANDLEMASS and others. Atmospheric, epic, emotional doom metal. Clean vocals all the way, deep clear and straight forward. Solid drumming, guitar lead solos. Keyboards in the background for atmosphere and a thick bass and rhythm guitar sound make for a decent doom listen. Fans of the aforementioned bands should check into UNSILENCE as they are definitely worth a listen.
Metal Mike Soucy Website: http://home.earthlink.net/~goden666/eternalfrost/issue15/album_t_z.htm
DIRECTORY OF DIRGE (NORTHERN IRELAND).
Straight away, we are bombarded with the classic doom sound so proliferate with Academy Studio's and Mags. Pounding toms ands driving guitar draw parallels to classic acts such as Solstice and the nice twin guitar melodies recall bands from classic maiden to a (slightly) more up-tempo My Dying Bride. I would prefer the vocal to have been a little less "in-your-face" as it tends to overwhelm the music and whilst the vocals are capable, they are not quite dynamic enough to pull of this particular mix. Overall, a depressingly competent CD with songs that are easily of similar standard to their peers.
Review by Marty Robinson. Website: http://www.ilovemetal.co.uk
A FIRE ON THE SEA
The new album
from Unsilence, out now on Nine Records (Poland). Availible on CD and
download, click here to order.
UNDER
A TORN SKY
The debut album from
Unsilence, still available on CD, Vinyl and download. Click here
for more info.